How do you feel about over-the-counter products?

"Skif6996" (Skif6996) 02/28/2014 at 20:43 • Filed to: Maintenance

0

41

My car sat for a long time. Two years. It is ten years old and has about 75k miles. I have been driving it for about 7 months now and I have a "tap" which has just gotten worse. What I'm asking is can I use an OTC engine flush? Injector cleaner? I always had the feeling they were a waste and may actually cause harm. What do all of you feel about stuff like this?

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 20:52

2

Click & Clack always give a thumbs up to the many wonderful products available to the consumer for those mysterious engine noises. As they say in Boston, "Couldn't hurt"!

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 20:53

0

What kind of car?

Skif6996 > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 02/28/2014 at 20:55

0

V6 Stratus R/T coupe.

desertdog5051 > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 20:56

1

Might be a lifter tick. Run it for a while and see it it goes away.

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 20:57

1

I could be wrong, but those are prone to a tap, or tick.

I'd see about a valve adjustment on them...that could be the issue.

Skif6996 > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 02/28/2014 at 20:57

0

Who are Click and Clack? Sounds like the noises my car will make after I use this stuff.

dogisbadob > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 20:58

0

Most of that shit is well, shit.

However, Lubro-Moly/Liqui-Moly products are usually pretty good and probably one of the few such additives worth using. They are available at Napa at fair prices.

The worst it could do is nothing, and the only thing you have to lose is $5.

I wish I could find something to seal up my valve cover gaskets since replacing the back one is impossible! I've heard of people using brake fluid in there, but that could present its own problems.

Skif6996 > desertdog5051 02/28/2014 at 20:59

0

Yeah I was hoping it would solve itself. I put about 5k miles on since I got her back out. No luck.

desertdog5051 > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:02

0

Bummer. My Ford truck with 238K has a mild one butt it goes away after it warms up.

Skif6996 > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 02/28/2014 at 21:03

0

There is a procedure for clearing a tick where you hold around 3000 rpm repeatedly. This could fix it but you need to have clear clean oil. Last change I did was a little gunky from not running for so long. I want to make sure it's all clear and good to go before I try the fix.

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:03

0

Do seafoam if anything.

That seems to work the best.

andthelike > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:05

1

the tappit brothers (car talk!)

Skif6996 > desertdog5051 02/28/2014 at 21:06

0

That's how mine started. I drove the whole way home from work today and it was still tap tap tapping in my driveway. It sounds real bad at highway speed. I'm gonna freeze my ass off tomorrow, check my oil and probably add some. I can tell I have a very slow leak somewhere. No spots on the driveway, but I know it is leaking.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:06

1

Skif6996 > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 02/28/2014 at 21:07

0

I'll check that out. Thank you!

Squid > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:08

1

Change the oil with a high detergent synthetic oil to help clean up some of that sludge and varnish. You could try a putting some Sea Foam in the crank case and run it for about a hundred miles before you change the oil out. I'd try to just get the highest detergent oil in there and do a short OCI just to help clean out the motor a bit. Oils will do just as good of a job as those so called flushes do mainly because of all the detergents in modern oils. Shell Rotella T6 is supposed to have the highest detergent package available right now.

Skif6996 > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 02/28/2014 at 21:09

0

A 3, I think. I just turned 30 a few weeks ago. I feel like an 8 though. I abused my body as a young man.

desertdog5051 > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:09

1

Turn up the radio?

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:12

0

Anybody ever replace oil with a gallon or so of Gunk? Maybe crank it a few times to get it to slosh around. Then drain and replace with oil. I always wondered what that would do.

Skif6996 > Squid 02/28/2014 at 21:13

0

I have run a blend in it since I bought it. If I go full synthetic, can I go back? I appreciate the recommendation on the oil. How can I tell which oils have a high detergent content?

Skif6996 > desertdog5051 02/28/2014 at 21:15

1

Haha Solid suggestion!

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:15

0

Ok, I take it you never listen to an NPR station? Saturday mornings? Click & Clack are these guys. http://www.cartalk.com/

Squid > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:17

1

Yup you can go back. Generally the higher mileage oils will have the high detergent pack, but pretty much all the synthetics are crazy high in detergents due to the fact that they can be run for 10,000+ miles with out fear of oil break down.

Skif6996 > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 02/28/2014 at 21:18

0

Drain all the metal shavings out? Haha Maybe you could just mix in a small amount with your oil?

Skif6996 > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 02/28/2014 at 21:19

0

I work saturdays. Unfortunately.

Skif6996 > Squid 02/28/2014 at 21:25

0

So basically change out the oil with a quality synthetic and run it for, say a thousand miles. Then change out the oil again. Sounds like a simple and hopefully effective plan. Thank you!

Skif6996 > dogisbadob 02/28/2014 at 21:30

1

I have seen that brand around. They "look" like a higher quality than the STP. I'll look into them. Thanks for your input! Everything on the back of a V6 sucks. Spark plugs? Yeah sure, rip off your intake manifold.

Squid > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 21:45

0

Yup but you want to do at least 3 runs with synthetic before you switch back, just to make sure you get as much build up out of there you can. Putting some Sea Foam in for the last 100 miles before you change out won't hurt either and can help loosen up the build up in the motor before you change the oil out. Hopefully that will help clean up the oil galleys and the hydraulic lifters if your motor is equipped with them.

Skif6996 > Squid 02/28/2014 at 21:56

0

Thanks for your help!

dogisbadob > Skif6996 02/28/2014 at 22:26

1

They are a very small German company, and I have heard nothing but good things about them. Customer service is said to be excellent too.

JasonStern911 > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 03/01/2014 at 01:34

0

nearly, if not every valve adjuster in a mass produced modern car is hydraulic. the hydraulic lifters may get clogged, but non-hydraulic lifters will not go out of spec sitting for two years.

if the car has a timing chain instead of a timing belt, check the cam chain tensioners. a not properly tensioned cam chain has a tendency to cause noise (which is a primary reason why less reliable timing belts exist), and many tensioners are also hydraulically activated and thus have a tendency to lose tension when the engine sit.

JasonStern911 > Skif6996 03/01/2014 at 01:38

0

is a front-wheel drive Dodge Stratus really worth preserving?

I can personally vouch for SeaFoam working wonders on keeping old gas from going bad and for keeping carburetors clean, but I have never ran it through either a car's intake or oil supply. when I asked about doing something like that before, I was always told that I had a perfectly salvageable core long block - why chance it with chemicals the motor was not designed to deal with? but, going back to the original question, is a front-wheel drive Dodge Stratus really worth preserving? :)

Skif6996 > JasonStern911 03/01/2014 at 05:53

0

Aside from the fact that it's actually a good car, it's MY car. So yes, it is worth preserving.
I don't understand all the FWD hate around here. I bought the car brand new when I was 18 and have thoroughly enjoyed it. At the time it was new it had a higher-than-many-others 200hp. Aside from the sun-warped dash, the interior is pretty nice. It may be a little dated since it doesn't have an 8 in touchscreen or anything, but the only plastic in the interior is the bottom of the door panel where the map pockets are and the cupholders. Despite having audio controls on the steering wheel it is actually a clean design and no buttons are visible since they are hidden on the back of the wheel. For a car that sits only a few inches off the ground (from the factory) it is fairly comfortable. The only time I notice it isnt RWD is when I do a burnout. Wait, I don't drive it aggressively... because I drive it to work. I also notice it being FWD when it snows. Still not really a downside for me.
One of the very few things I dislike about this car is the MANUAL TRANSMISSION. Not because it isnt fun to drive, but because I have bad knees from jumping out of airplanes and running in sand on an almost daily basis. I want to cry when I climb out of the car after driving home. So yeah, the most Jalop part of my car is the part that I no longer enjoy.
TL;DR: Yeah, it's worth "preserving" because it's my car, it's paid off, and it gets me to work.
/endrant

Old-Busted-Hotness > Skif6996 03/01/2014 at 06:59

1

Toss a couple quarts of kerosene in the crankcase, let it idle for a half hour or so, then drain and fill with decent oil. The kerosene will break down any sludge/varnish.

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > JasonStern911 03/01/2014 at 10:14

0

Honda's still you a manual aadjuster.

I've done valve adjustmennt on newer 350's too, the GM engine.

JasonStern911 > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 03/01/2014 at 12:55

0

that's nuts. outside of the high revving F20C, I never would have guessed that Honda isn't using hydraulic lifters. but I guess they have proven that they can be just as reliable.

at least Honda used screw and locknut adjusters instead of shims. and at least Honda's recommended service interval is "when it's noisy" and not "every 3,000 miles" like a Ducati!

JasonStern911 > Skif6996 03/01/2014 at 13:22

1

I don't understand all the FWD hate around here

understeering, front-heavy weight distribution which tends to affect cornering, more cramped engine bays due to the entire drivetrain being located in front of the driver (although modern rear-wheel drive cars have become just as big of a pain in the *** to work on), inability to slide the rear end... honestly, there are some great front-wheel drive cars. unfortunately, there are a lot more that are not great, designed more with cost-cutting in mind.

while I don't get the Dodge Stratus, I respect your right to like whatever cars you want. a lot of the cars I like are irrational to others as well.

also, try using a stethoscope to try to isolate where the ticking is coming from (valve train, timing chain, etc.), then research and decide whether or not it is worth fixing.

a detergent based chemical additive might clean out a partially clogged oil passage, but then it might also damage a seal or gasket causing an oil leak, similar to why it's not recommended to switch from a conventional oil to a synthetic oil late in a car's life. if you do go that route, make sure to change the oil and filter soon after, and ideally, multiple times depending on how much gunk is freed (cut the filter to see), as you obviously don't want those freed contaminants flowing through the engine, nor do you want a clogged oil filter.

some of the non-detergent additives might stop the ticking sound, but they do so by altering the oil's viscosity which doesn't actually fix the problem and may cause wear related issues long-term. so definitely don't use those.

trunkmonkey > Skif6996 03/02/2014 at 19:50

2

If that engine flush does break any crud,sludge or carbon loose,guess where it probably stops.

If you said " In those places called oil passages that circulate oil through the engine" you'd stand an excellent chance of being right.Especially if it's an older engine.Steer clear,or you might make things a lot worse.It's probably a sticking lifter.

Skif6996 > trunkmonkey 03/02/2014 at 22:34

1

This is totally just a guess ecause I have little experience working with internals but wouldn't the oil pressure clear most of that out? I would think you would need some serious sludge for the passages to get clogged. I guess any sludge would be bad, like in arteries.

trunkmonkey > Skif6996 03/03/2014 at 09:30

0

It's possible,but it's not something I'd bet on happening.If stuff gets freed-up inside your engine,it's pretty likely that there's more coming through behind it.Keep in mind that there are more than a few holes that this junk can get caught in on it's way to the filter.If the car is in reasonably good shape,you may want to consider a mechanics opinion.Ask your family,friends, etc. if they know a good one.If a sector of the engine gets starved for oil for even a small amount of time,it's rebuild or replacement time.That said,if you decide to go the route of fix in a bottle. Sea-foam is about your best bet.It will clean stuff up.If you pop off your oil filler cap and it looks the least bit sludgy down there? I wouldn't even consider it.

Best of luck to you.

Skif6996 > trunkmonkey 03/03/2014 at 18:38

0

Thanks!